All about marine navigation, sailing tips and MaxSea updates!

This article presents an insight into constructing elite ocean-going boats and the history of Boréal and the founder, Jean-François Delvoye. After having spent 6 years on his handmade sailboat (made by himself of course), Jean-François came back on land with one goal: construct the perfect boat so that he could conquer the oceans.

It is suffice to say that his sailboat building skills were noticed as he had 2 orders before his prototype had hit the water! This was just the start of Boréal. Since then, the brand has built itself up to become recognized as one of the best of the luxury sailboat constructors. Boréal boats are designed for sailing both in cold waters to the north or in the warm waters of the Pacific.

To equip these boats, TIMEZERO was the marine navigation software chosen. It is the software that best meets his vision and the demands of the customers. One of main reasons for this is the compatibility of TIMEZERO software with Furuno equipment. Furuno is the world leader in marine hardware.

In this article, we decided to shine some light on the construction factory in Brittany. With an order backlog full for the next 18 months, Boréal offers its customers an unrivaled quality of know-how in maintaining quality of build. Discover how Boréal went from pipe-dream to reality, its history and becoming renowned around the world.

Boréal, an adventure:

In 2005, Boréal was born thanks in part to Jean-François financing the project by selling the first boat he built with his own hands. 10 years later, the company sits in a slightly different position, earning a revenue of 4,7 million euros (5 million US Dollars).

The dockyard (and headquarters) where Boréal bares its fruits is located in Minihy-Tréguier in the Côtes d’Armor of Brittany, France. One of the keys to Boréals success was being able to combine the unique know-how of Jean-François with an entirely on-site production process. From the design room, to the metal workshop, to woodworking, the company can go from drawing up a design to the construction of the boat within the same walls. To manage this process, Boréal has a team of 30 professionals working throughout the year to meet demand.

Crossing frontiers:

The company offers luxury boats with luxury interiors, most of which to be used for ocean crossings. In spite of growing demand, the annual production is limited to a dozen boats. Boréal has gone from being a national success in France, to an international success. The sales outside of France now represent 75% of their annual income. The quality with which the boats have been produced was the main reason for Boréal to attract the attention of the international public. As of today, the company offers a line of 6 distinct sailboats, ranging from 44ft to 78ft.

A partnership of trust:

The last 3 sailboats produced by Boréal were each equipped with Furuno and TIMEZERO. The electronic installments were carried out by TIMEZERO partner, TEEM, while the IT side was carried out by another TIMEZERO partner,ROM-Arrangé. TEEM have 3 personnel working full-time at Boréal to provide an optimal service.

To organize and manage on-board navigation, the boats once deployed are equipped with a NavNet TZ Touch 2 from Furuno and a PC running TZ Navigator v3 from TIMEZERO. Across both systems, TZ charts are used and produced by MapMedia.

Remarkable awards:

Only a few months after the departure of the Boréal 44, the sailboat won the 2010 prize, French sailboat of the year, which was then followed by a similar prize in the Netherlands the following year. The bigger brother, the Boréal 52 took 3rd place in the French boat of the year for 2015. And in the same year, it took the title of European boat of the year.

The drive of Boréal hasn’t stopped as they are working on two big new projects: the Boréal 63 and a Boréal 78! The key to success is quality products made locally by a team that is passionate. Thanks to its presence in the market, Boréal has surrounded itself with reputable partners in TEEM and ROM-Arrangé. The recreational sailors that look for the best sailboat to help take them on journeys around the world are increasingly turning towards Boréal.